Powerless #4

Background

After a brief recap, where Watts has got Murdock to safety with his friend Foggy, we're in a shadowy room where 'Eric' (Magneto) is talking to 'Victor' (Sabretooth). Eric says Logan has become a liability. Xavier is dead and Mystique is missing. Logan must be terminated.

Story Details

Watts is with Logan going through Mystique's things. Meanwhile, the Bugle has reported that Tony Stark's company got the contract Osborn wanted. Peter is worried. Osborn is not pleased. He has a schizophrenic conversation with 'himself', where he decides to give Peter one last chance to redeem himself.

Peter goes to Stark Industries but sneaks off.

Watts is at Riker's prison to visit an inmate - Frank Castle. He is now determined to help Murdock. Castle tells him that the confession was persuaded out of him by someone at the police station who wasn't even a police officer - someone from his past. Watts contacts Foggy and tells him they may have a lead to help get Frank off the charge.

On a bench somewhere, Peter tries to tell Gwen about how Osborn has been tailing him and that Osborn wanted him to steal information. Gwen interrupts and says she doesn't believe him. As she leaves and is on her way home, she is abducted by men in a car.

Back at home, Peter's phone goes off. It is Gwen's phone calling but Norman Osborn on the line. He tells Peter that Gwen is "a little tied up right now". Pete says to leave Gwen out of it. Osborn tells him he has two days to get the information from Stark and not to involve the authorities . or else!

At Watts', he notices the street lights are all out. Logan springs into action and ushers him out onto the balcony. Meanwhile, gunmen enter the apartment. Shortly after, the gunmen (including Victor) are leaving as they couldn't find Watts. Logan clings onto their car. He forces it off the road and stands ready for action.

General Comments

Until the last few pages, the book has no real flow to it. The scenes cut from one the next frustratingly quickly and the story doesn't really advance. At the end, however, we suddenly have two big happenings. Gwen's kidnapping is a good twist and you wouldn't bet against her ending up on top of a New York City bridge sometime soon. Logan's imminent battle with Sabretooth is also a nice lead-in for the next issue.

As well as this, the characterisation of both Peter and Norman is really good - Osborn's two personalities, regardless of any Goblin powers, is well thought-out. The writers have clearly done their research too with plenty of allusions to happenings in the regular Marvel continuity.

For the first time since picking up this series, however, this is the one issue that's left me wondering quite how things are going to fit together. Peter's story really does seem to now be a completely separate entity from the rest of what's happening. Once again I can't help but think this would play out a lot better as a TPB as opposed to six separate issues.

Overall Rating

The weakest of the series so far but some good pointers for issue five.